1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stator coil winding machine for winding a field coil around a stator of an electrical rotary machine such as a motor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a conventional stator coil winding machine as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,901,454 and 4,858,835, for example, a spindle through which a wire is inserted is reciprocated in an axial direction thereof. A nozzle is provided at one end of the spindle, and the nozzle is inserted through a slot of a stator core by the axial reciprocation of the spindle. The spindle is reciprocatively rotated about an axis thereof at a predetermined angle at opposite ends of a stroke of the axial reciprocation. Thus, the wire is supplied from the nozzle and is wound around a neck portion of each pole. The nozzle is fixedly mounted to one end of the spindle so as to extend in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the spindle.
In such a conventional stator coil winding machine, the nozzle from which the wire is drawn is fixed to the spindle in perpendicular relationship to the axis of the spindle, as mentioned above. Accordingly, in association with the axial reciprocation of the spindle, the wire is drawn from one end of the nozzle in a direction substantially perpendicular to an axis of the nozzle.
A predetermined tension is applied to the wire by a tension device such as an electromagnetic fluid clutch of a magnetic powder type. Accordingly, in the case that the wire has a large diameter, a frictional resistance of the wire to be bent at right angles at one end of the nozzle becomes remarkably large to rapidly increase the wire tension. As a result, the linear motion of the spindle becomes more difficult. Further, there is a possibility that a cover film of the wire is separated or one end of the nozzle is rapidly worn because of the friction between the wire and the nozzle.